Tamperproof metallic receptacle



June 14, 1960 G. A. THACKER TAMPERPROOF METALLIC RECEPTACLE Filed April 17. 1956 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Thacker, Glen Ellyn, 111., assignor to Con- Inc., New York, N.Y., a cor- George Alder tinental Can Company, poration of New York Filed Apr. 17, 1956, Ser. No. 578,662 2 Claims. Cl. 220-43 The invention relates to metallic receptacles and-seeks to provide asimple, attractive and economically manufactured container structure in which articles such as spark plugs or the like may be packaged, the container having .tamperproof characteristics making it readily determinable whether the containerhas been opened by persons other than a first purchaser.- t

An object of the invention isto provide a container structure of the character stated including a-tubular metal shell body, a metal closure secured on the body with a false seam, and coin or other pry tool supporting means on the body and spaced from the seam so that such a coin or tool may be engaged between the supporting means and'the closure seam to readily pry the closure off its body mounting and expose the packaged article for removal.

An object of the invention is to provide a container structure of the character stated wherein the body is slightly flared at its end extremity above the coin or other pry tool supporting means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container structure of the character stated wherein the coin or other pry tool supporting means is in the form of an outwardly projecting body bead which has a substantially horizontal supporting shelf portion and extends about the container body continuously, or continuously except at the position of the body side seam.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a container structure of the character stated wherein the coin or other pry tool supporting means is in the form of a plurality of body protuberances spaced equid stantly about the body below the upper closure mounting end portion thereof.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional view illustrating a container structure embodying the invention, the container body being illustrated as devoid of its top closure.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in side elevation and partially in vertical cross section illustrating the top portion of the container of Figure l with a top closure applied thereon.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the container portion shown in Figure 2, removal of the top closure by a prying action of an applied coin being shown in progress.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken through the container body below the prying tool supporting bead and looking toward said head and the top closure.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 4 but confined to the side seam area and illustrating a modification in which the coin or other prying tool supporting head is interrupted at the position of the side seam.

nited States Patent ice Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing another modified arrangement in which the coin or other pry tool supporting means is in the form of a plurality of protuberances extending outwardly from the body in equidistantly spaced relation.

Figure 7 is adetail view illustrating a conventional notching of the body blank for the provision of the men nen seam and avoiding continuation of the mennen seam into the topclosureseam.

In the example of embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, the improved container structure includes a body 5, in this instance cylindrical in shape, and having a well known mennen side seam 6, and a bottom closure 7 securedfin place by a false seam 8.. At its upper terminousj or top closure'receiving mouth the body is slightly flared outwardly as at 9.' An outwardly extending bead 10 is provided and is formed to include a substantially horizontal coin or other my tool supporting shelf portion 11. It is to be understood that in the making of the container body the'ibead 10 may be fform'ed V 'continuously'about the'body as shown in Figures l to 4,

or it may 'be formedbefore the hat body blank is shaped into its intended tubular form and equipped with its side seam, and in this instance the bead may be terminated' as indicated at 12 in Figure 5 at the location of the side seam structure. In order to avoid continuation of the mennen side seam into the top closure of the can, the blank may be notched in the usual manner as indicated at 13 in Figure 7, thus to terminate the inwardly folded portion of the side seam at the lower extremity of the top closure and provide only a single thickness of body metal at the top closure.

The top closure 14 is secured to the body by a false seam 15, and it is preferred that this false seam be formed with square grooved roll means in order to assure the provision of a Well defined transverse pry shoulder at 16. It will be noted by reference to Figure 2 that the pry shoulder 16 is spaced above the supporting shelf portion 11 of the head 10 and in parallel relation thereto. Thus by applying a coin 17 or any other suitable prying tool between the opposing shoulder and shelf equipments 16, 11 and manipulating the tool as indicated in Figure 3, the top' closure 15 may be readilypried off the container body in order to render the packaged article accessible to a user. It will be readily apparent that in' the prying ofi of the top closure 15 in the manner illustrated in Figure 3, the top end extremity of the container body will be slightly deformed, but the flare thereon will not be entirely eliminated and the end extremity of the.

body would spring outwardly after the removal of the top closure in an amount to make i e-application of the V closure without the aid of appropriate tools substantially impossible. Thus each removal of a closure from a container constructed as herein disclosed would be made so obvious that prior tampering with the closure would be made quite evident to persons other than a first purchaser of the container.

Instead of providing a continuous head 10 extending through the side beam 6 as in the illustrations in Figures 1 to 4, the bead maybe terminated at 12 short of the side seam structure as before stated and as illustrated in Figure 5. Also, in Figure 6 there is illustrated another modification of the invention wherein the coin or other pry tool supporting means is in the form of a plurality of protuherances spaced equidistantly about the container body and projecting outwardly therefrom. In the case of either modification, a coin or other pry tool can be inserted between the interrupted head 10 and the overlying top closure shoulder 16, or between one of the protuberances 18 and'said shoulder for the purpose of prying oil a top closure in the manner illustrated in Figure 3. i

seam extending upyi'ardly betwee twioto a Whflexexample diselos nres pf the container structure are disclosed herein, it 'is to be understood that other modifications may be made Without departing from the pry shoulderso=that atom othertool mey he engaged between the supporting means and the ,top closure pry shoulder to pry the" top closure :O fi its body 'mounting and expose foriremoval a product packaged in the container, said pry tool supporting means comprising a plurality of protuberances extending outwardly from the body in equidistantly-spaced relation with the body side se am extendingnpwardly between two of said pry shoulder so that a coin orother prytool maybe engaged between :the supporting meansii lnd the top closure jexpose for ,renioyaha product .paqkaged the Leon- ;tainenls i p yvtoolfs lnpo ne me in kq mp isi ep {rality ,of' protuberance; extending .outwariilyffropa the b y ru quidistan lyispa edrelation wfi .r b nde I V elud ng PiY itDOESUpPOI'IiXIg gmean skspaeed beneath said protubenanees, veaeh said protuherance presenting a substantially horizontal shelf portion and 511 said shelf por- .tions :bearing' like arallel .zspac'ed relation "togthe overlying abrut pry-shoulder of the =top closure;

V V Referenges flCited- -intthefile of thispatent UNITEDHSTYATES BAIEN 1,315,941; :Btime'tt 1,495,268 1 71,564,958

" Sept. 16, v191s 

